Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/1118

 762 JAPAN

peace, and conclude treaties. The Emperor exercises tiie legisla- tive power with the consent of the Imperial Diet. It is the prerogative of the Emperor to give sanction to laws, to convoke the Imperial Diet, to open, close, and prorogue it, and to dissolve the House of Representatives. The Imperial Diet consists of two Houses, a House of Peers and a House of Representatives. Every law requires the consent of the Imperial Diet. Both Houses may respectively initiate projects of law, can make re- presentations to the Government as to laws or upon any other subject, and may present addresses to the Emperor.

The House of Peers is composed of (1) male members of the Imperial family of the age of 20 and up^Yards ; (2) princes and marquises of the age of 25 and upwards (11 princes and 28 marquises) ; (3) counts, viscounts, and barons of the age of 25 and upwards, and who have been elected by the members of their respective orders, never to exceed one-fifth of each order (80 counts, 355 viscounts, 29 barons) ; (4) persons above the age of 30 years, who have been nominated members by the Emperor for meritorious services to the State or for erudition ; (5) persons who shall have been elected in each Fu and Ken from among and by the 15 male inhabitants thereof, of above the age of 30 j^ears, paying therein the highest amount of direct national taxes on land, industry, or trade, and have been nominated by the Emperor. The term of membership under (3) and (5) is seven years ; under (1), (2), and (4) for life. The number of members under (4) and (5) not to exceed the number of other members. The entire membership of the House of Peers is to be about 300.

The members of the House of Representatives number 300, a fixed number being returned from each election district. The proportion of the number of members to the population is about one member to 128,000. The qualifica- tions of electors are (1) male Japanese subjects ofnot less than full 25 years of age ; (2) fixed permanent and actual residence in the Fu or Ken for not less than a year ; (3) payment of direct national taxes to the amount of not less than 15 yen for one year in the Fu or Ken, and in case of income tax for three years.

The qualifications of persons eligible for election are generally the same as those of electors, except that they must be of not less than 30 years, and need not have fixed residence in the Fu or Ken. The term of membership is four years.

Disqualified for members of the House of Representatives are officials of the Imperial Household, judges, auditors, ofiicials connected with the collec- tion of taxes, police officials, officials of electoral districts within their own districts, military and naval officers, and priests or ministers of religion. The President and Vice-President of tlie House of Peers are nominated by the Emperor from among the members, and President and Vice-President of the House of Representatives are nominated by the Emperor from among three candidates elected by the House. The Presidents of both Houses receive an annual salary of 4,000 yen; Vice-Presidents, 2,000 yen ; elected and nomi- nated members of the House of Peers and members of the House of Repre- sentatives, 800 yen, bpsides travelling expenses. No one is allowed to decline these annual allowances.

The Imperial Diet hq,s control over the fiances and the administration of justice. Voting is by secret ballot, apd the systepi is that of scnUin de listc. The Diet must be assembled once every year,